Cyclist helmet with reinforcing hoops

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

An object of the invention is to provide a stronger and more lightweight cyclist helmet, yet while maintaining optimum head protection capabilities.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the object of the invention, there is disclosed a generally open concave bicycle helmet comprising a hard external shell, a shock absorbing insert located radially inwardly of said external shell; said external shell defining a number of fore and aft extending structural arms, each of said structural arms having a fore end and an aft end, said structural arms transversely spaced from one another in transversely successive pairs by transverse inter-spacing gaps, said structural arms merging with an annular edge rim at both said fore end and aft end thereof, said insert having radial passageways in register with said inter-spacing gaps, said inter-spacing gaps and said radial passageways forming air ventilation channels; each of said structural arms being arcuate in cross-section, said arcuate structural arms each forming two side walls circumscribing therebetween a corresponding groove, said insert defining an exposed surface, said structural arm side walls being embedded into selected portions of said insert exposed surface; wherein the radius of curvature of said structural arms is greater than that of said insert exposed surface.

Preferably, said structural arms consist of U-shape arms, said arms side wall being inturned against said insert. Said insert exposed surface could include a number of projecting ridges, said insert ridges engaging into each said groove of corresponding said structural arms, said insert ridges extending radially outwardly beyond said insert exposed surface.

The depth of said arms groove could range between 3 and 38 mm, preferably being about 7 mm; while the total width of each of said structural arms could range between 3 and 38 mm, again preferably being about 7 mm. Preferably, the material forming said structural U-arms is molded polycarbonate plastic material. Said structural U-arms could extend in a generally straight fashion in the fore and aft direction, or alternately in a sinusoidal fashion in the fore and aft direction. Alternately, each of said structural U-arms could converge from said aft end to said fore end thereof. Each one of said inter-spacing gaps could range between 3 and 38 mm.

The invention also relates to a bicycle helmet comprising a generally open concave shock absorbing insert, said insert defining a top exposed surface and an internal face in communication with one another via air circulation passageways extending radially through said insert, a number of rigid reinforcing cross-sectionally U-shape hoops extending across corresponding strip portions of said insert exposed surface, each of said U-shape hoops defining two opposite side legs and a groove between said side legs, said hoops side legs being embedded radially inwardly into corresponding said insert strip portions; wherein the radius of curvature of said hoops is greater than that of said insert exposed surface.

In this case, there may be added ridges, radially outwardly projecting from said insert exposed surface integral thereto, said ridges engaging substantially fully into each said groove of said U-shape hoops and also projecting radially outwardly beyond said insert exposes surface. The depth and total width of said ridges could each ranges between 3 and 38 mm, again being preferably about 7 mm. Said hoops could extend in a direction selected from the following: straight, sinusoidal and arcuate patterns.

The invention also relates to a bicycle helmet comprising a generally open concave shock absorbing insert, said insert defining a top exposed surface and an internal face in communication with one another via air circulation passageways extending radially through said insert, a number of rigid reinforcing cross-sectionally U-shape hoops extending across corresponding fore and aft extending strip portions of said insert exposed surface, each of said U-shape hoops defining two opposite side legs and a groove between said side legs, said hoops side legs being embedded into corresponding said insert strip portions; wherein the radius of curvature of said hoops is greater than that of said insert exposed surface.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to protective headgear for use on roads by cyclists.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Protective headgear helmets for use by bicyclists need to address a number of needs, some of which being difficult to reconcile with one another. The first need is of course to provide proper protection of the cyclist head from trauma injury following accidental impacting fall to the ground, notably when the bicycle rolls at high speed on the ground. In particular, the helmet should be so constructed as to be resistant to fragmentation after a first violent impact, as many high speed falls of cyclists involve multiple ground impact of the cyclist head. A helmet is of course of limited value if it is effective in protecting the cyclist head from impact trauma from a first ground impact, but becomes inoperative afterwards due to fracturing, fragmenting or the like impact borne deformation. Helmets also need to provide suitable shielding protection against headborne sun stroke, since it may not be readily apparent to the cyclist that a sun stroke is imminent because of the incoming wind that refreshes his/her face as his bicycle moves forward. Helmets should also preferably provide for proper air ventilation of the head, again to fight against sun strokes. On the other end, the weight of the helmet should be kept down as low as possible, so as not to generate fatigue to the neck of the cyclist, as this would be a safety hazard in compromising the attention span of the cyclist when his vehicle is on the road. Prior art helmets still do not provide for an optimum mix of these desirable parameters.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a cyclist helmet according to a first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 1A is a side elevational view of the helmet of FIG. 1;

FIG. 1B is a front elevational view of the helmet of FIG. 1;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of a second embodiment of cyclist helmet according to this invention;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of a third embodiment of cyclist helmet according to this invention;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of a fourth embodiment of cyclist helmet according to the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of a fifth embodiment of cyclist helmet according to this invention;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of a sixth embodiment of cyclist helmet of the invention;

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of a seventh embodiment of cyclist helmet of the invention;

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of an eighth embodiment of cyclist helmet of the invention;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged sectional view of the cyclist helmet, showing an arcuate cross-sectionally square U-shape arm embedded into the shock absorbing foam layer of the helmet according to a first open outturned orientation;

FIGS. 10<i>a, </i><b>10</b><i>b, </i>and <b>10</b><i>c, </i>are views similar to FIG. 9, but at a smaller scale and showing arcuate cross-sectionally square U-shape arms embedded into the shock absorbing foam layer of the helmet according to a second closed inturned orientation; and

FIGS. 11<i>a, </i><b>11</b><i>b, </i>and <b>11</b><i>c, </i>are views similar to FIGS. 10<i>a, </i><b>10</b><i>b, </i><b>10</b><i>c, </i>but showing alternate arcuate cross-sectionally rounded U-shape arms embedded into the shock absorbing foam layer.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

The helmet shown as <b>20</b> in FIGS. 1, <b>1</b>A and <b>1</b>B, defines a main external shell <b>22</b>, a main internal shell <b>24</b>, and a shock absorbing foam insert <b>26</b> located in between the shells <b>22</b> and <b>24</b>. The helmet consists of a generally open concave structure, with the main external shell <b>22</b> having a number of fore and aft extending structural arms <b>28</b>. Elongated fore and aft arms <b>28</b> are generally straight in the fore and aft direction in this first embodiment of helmet, although arms <b>28</b> will be concave to conform to the shape of the cyclist head. Arms <b>28</b> are transversely spaced from one another, and merge with an annular bottom edge rim <b>30</b> at both their fore and aft ends <b>28</b><i>a, </i><b>28</b><i>b. </i>Air ventilation passages <b>32</b> are formed in between each pair of successive U arms <b>28</b>, extending through corresponding openings in the shock absorbing insert <b>26</b> and through the open mouth formed by the annular internal shell <b>24</b>.

Each elongated structural arm <b>28</b> forms a narrow U-shape in cross-section, for reinforcing the helmet structure. The shock absorbing foam of the insert <b>26</b> engages with the grooves <b>34</b> formed by these cross-sectionally U-shape structural arms <b>28</b>. In this first embodiment of cyclist helmet, the grooves <b>34</b> are radially inturned. However, they may also the radially outturned in an alternate embodiment, <b>28</b>″, as illustrated in FIG. <b>9</b>.

As best shown in figures <b>10</b><i>a-</i><b>10</b><i>c </i>and <b>11</b><i>a</i>-<b>11</b><i>c </i>of the drawings, these inturned U-arms <b>28</b> from the first embodiment of the invention extend radially outwardly from the external surface of the shock absorbing insert. These U-arms <b>28</b> may be rounded, as in FIGS. 11A, <b>11</b>B, <b>11</b>C, or may form square U-arms <b>28</b>′, as in FIGS. 10A, <b>10</b>B, <b>10</b>C. The radius of curvature of the structural arms <b>28</b>, <b>28</b>′ is greater than that of the shock absorbing insert <b>26</b>. Preferably as illustrated, the insert material at the external surface <b>26</b><i>a </i>of the shock absorbing insert <b>26</b>, which comes in register with the groove <b>34</b> formed by the structural arms <b>28</b>, will project radially outwardly thereinto, so as to form a radially outturned bulge <b>26</b><i>b </i>inside the corresponding structural arms <b>28</b>.

Accordingly, since the radius of curvature of the structural U-arms <b>28</b>, <b>28</b>′, is greater than of the main external exposed surface <b>26</b><i>a </i>of the shock absorbing insert <b>26</b>, upon the cyclist head accidentally impacting on the ground, a first blow will be sustained by the structural U-arms <b>28</b>, <b>28</b>′, and associated insert bulge <b>26</b><i>b</i>, wherein some kinetic energy will be dissipated as the structural U-arms sink only partially into the underlying shock absorbing insert. Upon a second impact of the cyclist head against ground or other obstacle, the structural U-arms will further sink into the insert. Accordingly, it has been discovered that unexpectedly, progressive stepwise kinetic impact energy absorption from successive impact blows sustained by the helmet is achieved, without compromising the head-shielding properties of the helmet. This means that the present helmet should remain integral even after a number of impacts, and that the head protecting features of this helmet will remain effective for a longer duration and after more abusive impacting treatment than with prior art cyclist helmets.

As shown in FIG. 9, the structural U-arms <b>28</b>″ may be radially outturned, i.e. with the groove thereof <b>34</b> opening radially outwardly. In this alternate disposition of the U-arms <b>28</b>″, some foam material of the insert <b>26</b> is embedded into the groove <b>34</b>, but the radially outward surface <b>26</b><i>c </i>of the insert foam material inside the groove <b>34</b> of the U-arm <b>28</b>″ does not project radially outwardly beyond the radially outwardly exposed surface <b>26</b><i>a </i>of the main shock absorbing insert <b>26</b>. However, the free end portions of the two legs <b>29</b><i>a</i>, <b>29</b><i>b </i>of U-arm <b>28</b>″ project radially outwardly from this radially outward exposed surface <b>26</b><i>a </i>of the shock absorbing foam insert <b>26</b>, as illustrated.

In the alternate embodiment of helmet <b>40</b> of FIG. 2, circular or ellipsoid air ventilation apertures <b>42</b> are added into the shock absorbing insert, for enhanced air circulation.

In the alternate embodiment of helmet <b>50</b> of FIG. 3, some of the structural U-arms <b>52</b> extend along an irregular, wavy, or sinusoidal pattern, as shown, another intermediate arm <b>28</b> extends straight, while still other lateral side structural U-arms <b>54</b> extend in an arcuate fashion. The fore and aft ends <b>54</b>A, <b>54</b>B, of the structural U-arms <b>52</b> may for example extend short of the fore and aft ends <b>50</b>A, <b>50</b>B, of the helmet <b>50</b>. The other features of the helmet components remain the same.

In the alternate embodiment of helmet <b>60</b> shown in FIG. 4, helmet <b>60</b> is very similar to the one shown in FIG. 1, except that some of the successive pairs of fore and aft structural U-arms <b>28</b> are joined by transversely extending, accurate, structural U-arms extensions <b>62</b>. These transverse extensions <b>62</b>, which enable two successive fore and aft U-arms <b>28</b> to transversely interconnected at selected intervals, may structurally reinforce the helmet, although the air circulation may be less compared to the first embodiment of helmet in FIG. <b>1</b>.

The alternate embodiment of helmet <b>70</b> shown in FIG. 5, is very similar to that of FIG. 3, except that the width of the structural U-arms <b>52</b>′, <b>54</b>′, is larger, and that there is no central U-arm <b>28</b>.

In the alternate embodiment of helmet <b>80</b> of FIG. 6, the structural U-arms <b>82</b> extend transversely rather than in a fore and aft direction. U-arms <b>82</b> are also arcuate, and progressively more so as we move from the fore end <b>80</b>A to the aft end <b>80</b>B of the helmet <b>80</b>. Wide interspacing gaps <b>84</b> remain in between each successive pair of U-arms <b>82</b>, for proper air circulation around the cyclist head.

The alternate embodiment of helmet <b>90</b> of FIG. 7 of the drawings, is quite similar to the helmet of FIG. 6, with transverse U-arms <b>82</b>′ at the fore section thereof. However, the difference is in the aft section of the helmet <b>90</b>, being made up of straight structural U-arms <b>92</b> projecting from the aftmost transverse U-arm <b>82</b>′ and converging toward a single aft point <b>94</b> of the helmet <b>90</b>.

The alternate embodiment of helmet <b>100</b> of FIG. 8, is again quite similar to the helmet of FIG. 6, with transverse arcuate U-arms <b>82</b>″ at the aft section thereof. However, the difference is in the fore section of the helmet <b>100</b>, being made up of zig-zaging structural U-arms <b>102</b> projecting from the foremost transverse U-arm <b>82</b>″, and merging with several points at the fore rim end <b>104</b> of the helmet <b>100</b>.

The fore and aft extending structural U-arms <b>28</b> preferably constitute composite beams made from molded polycarbonate plastic material, preferably reinforced with polystyrene.

The transverse spacing <b>32</b> between a pair of successive fore and aft extending structural U-arms may be for example about 38 mm. Each of the three legs of the cross-sectionally U-shape structural arm may be of a length ranging between for example 3 and 38 mm, but preferably being of a size of about 7×7×7 mm. The shock absorbing insert is made for example from ABS plastic material.

Preferably, the U-arms and the shock absorbing inserts are interconnected by the inmold process technology.

It is understood that other variations in the layout of the cross-sectionally U-shape structural arms, will remain within the scope of the present invention.